Loop-the-loop toy



Jan. 5, 1 25. 1,568,492

B. ZABEL LOOP-THE-LOOP TOY Filed April 29 1925 Q INV A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

. UNITED STATES BRUNO ZABEL, OF FEURA BUSH, NEW YORK.

LOOP-THE-LOOP TOY.

Application filed April 29, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUNO ZABEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Feura Bush, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loop-the-Loop Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys of the type in'which a gravity propelled object travels down an incline and around a looped track, and particularly to that type of loop-theloop toy wherein the gravity propelled object travels first in one direction and then in the other, this being eifected by alternately tipping the track in opposite directions.

More particularly, the invention relates especially to loop-the-loop toys of the general type shown in my copending application Serial No. 752,168, filed November 25, 1924.

The object of the present invention is to provide a toy of the loop-the-loop type having at least two loops therein around both of which the gravity propelled ob'ect travels upon a single tilting movement the track.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the assembled toy;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane of line III-III of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 5 designates a suitable base to which is secured a U-shaped framehaving upright supporting arms 6. Connecting the upper ends of the arms 6 is a transverse pin 7 that passes through ears 8 on a support or spreader 9, thus providing a pivoting mounting for the spreader.

One end of the spreader, which is pre'li' erably so shaped as to be generally diagonal with respect to the base, connects-to a track loop 10, and the other arm of the spreader connects with a second track loop 11.

The track loops 10 and 11 are connected by a straight track portion 12. One of the loops preferably spirals to one side of the straight track, while the other spirals to the other side. The outside end portion 13 of each loop drops some distance below the straight track. Leading from each of these outer ends are inclined tracks 14 having terminal portions 15, which are preferably Serial No. 26,634.

substantially horizontal, or perhaps rearwardly inclined to a slight degree, when the straight track 12 is in a horizontal position. On each terminal is a car stopping abutment 16.

Depending from the straight track is an arm 17 that is connected through link 18 with a crank 19 driven by a spring or other suitable motor 20, which motor is fixed on the base 5. When the motor operates, this connection causes the suspended double looped track to rock on the pin 7, alternately raising one end of the track above the other.

A gravity propelled object, such as the car A, is adapted to roll and be guided in the tracks.

The operation is similar to that described in my said co-pending application. \Vhen end a of the track rises, but before it reaches its uppermost limit, the car A rolls off the terminal portion of the track and down the incline, gaining momentum to carry it around the first loop 10 onto the .connecting track 12. At this time, the end a is still rising, so that loop 11 is lowering, and the car gains suflicient momentum to carry it around the second loop 11. Even after the car has made the second loop, the end a is continuing to rise and end I) is lowering, and the motion is not reversed until the car A has reached the terminal at end "0. This terminal is then elevated, and, at the proper instant, the car travels in the same manner through the loops in the opposite direction.

This action is repeated as long as the motor operates. It will be seen that care must be taken to have the terminals so set with respect to the inclined tracks as not to pre maturely release the car but to release it before the end on which it is lifted reaches the upper limit of its movement.

Important features of the toy, by means of which it can operate repeatedly and make both loops each time, are in the timing of the release of the car with respect to the track movement, as described above; in the arrangement of one loop behind the other in a longitudinal direction; and in the dropping of the outer ends of the loops well below the inner ends. A balanced arrangement is provided in thestructure shown which enables the effective use of a relatively light spring motor.

The spread holds the tracks, which are of pressed sheet metal, fairly rigid, but in order that the structure will not be at all flimsy and to holdithe loops against bending or spreading, braces 21 may be provided in each loop for connecting the mner and outer ends of the loops.

\Vhile I have illustrated a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications are within the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1 A a track supported above the base having a pair of loops therein, the track at each s de of the two loops being inclined, car receiving terminals at each end of the track, and means for alternately raising each end of the track and alternately lowering the opposite end.

2. A. mechanical toy comprising a base, a track supported above the base having a car receiving terminal at each end thereof, a pair of loops therein, an inclined portion between each terminal and the loops, the outer ends of the loops being dropped below the inner ends thereof, and means for alternately raising and lowering opposite ends of the track.

S. A mechanical toy including a base, a track pivotally supported on the base, said track having car receiving terminals at each.

end and a pair of connected loops, and inclined portions leading from the terminals to the loop, means on the base forrocking the track, and a car adapted to roll on the track.

l. A mechanical toy comprising a central,

section of track having a loop at each end thereof, the outer ends of theloopsbeing dropped below the central section'of track, an inclined extension extending up from each of said outer ends of'the loops, car receiving terminals at the free end of each.

an inclined extensionv extending, up front each of said out-er ends of the loops, car reeeivingterminals at the free end of each of the inclined sections, a supporting mem ber secured to each of the loops, means for pivotally supporting said supporting member midway between the loops. to provide a balancedtilting, support therefor, means for rocking the track, and a car adapted to roll on the track.

mechanical toy comprising a base,

6. A mechanical toy comprising a central section of track havingv a loop at each end thereof, the outer ends of the loops being dropped below the central section of track, an inclined extension extending up from each of said outer ends of the loops, car re ceiving terminals at the free end of each of the inclined sections, a supporting mem ber secured to each of the loops, means for pivotally supporting said supporting mem* ber midway between the loops to provide a balanced tilting support therefor, an arm projecting down from said central section of track, a link connected with the arm, an eccentric connected with the link, a motor for driving the eccentric to impart a rocking movement to the track, and a car adapt ed to roll 011 the track.

T. A, mechanical toy havinga pivotally suspended double-looped traclcwith an inclined portion at each side of the loops, said point of suspension being at substantially the center of balance. of the track, means for rocking the track, and. a gravity propelled object adapted to roll on the track.

8. A mechanical toy including a central section of track having aloop at each end thereof, the outer ends of. the loop being below the central section, inclined sections leading up from the said outer endsof the loops, a rocking support for. the track, means forrockng the. track, andfa gravity propelled object adapted to roll: therealong.

9. A mechanical. toy including a; central section of track having. aloop at eachend thereof, the outer ends. of the loopbeingbelow the central section, inclined sectionsleadjingup from the saidouter ends. of the loops, a spreader-connecting the twoloops, anupright support on Which the spreader-is. pivotally mounted midwaycbetween the loops, a bracefor connecting the inner endof each loop with the outer end thereof, said spreader and braces providing-a rigid structure, means for rocking the track, and a gravity propelled object adapted to move therealong.

10. A mechanical toy having a trackv with downwardly inclined portions sloped toward each other, a plurality of loopsain the track between the inclined portions, means for alternately elevating, and lowering opposite inclined track portions, and a gravity propelled object adapted to roll on the track.

In testimony whereof I atlix mysignature.

BRUNOiZABEL.., 

